Hyundai targets 3 Series with new Genesis G70

Namyang, South Korea - Nowhere in its press material does Hyundai mention blue propellers, but a quick look at the engine line-up of its new premium-brand Genesis G70 will tell you it’s aimed at BMW’s 3 Series.

When it goes on sale in Korea next Wednesday, alongside the bigger G90 and G80, customers will be able to choose from a two-litre turbopetrol four rated at 185kW and 350Nm, a 2.2-litre turbodiesel four (148kW and 441Nm) and the G70 Sport with a 3.3-litre turbopetrol V6 kicking out a claimed 272kW and 510Nm, good for a 0-100 launch in 4.7 seconds and 270km/h flat out.

Performance features across the range include rack-mounted, motor-driven power steering, multi-link rear suspension, dynamic torque vectoring and a mechanical limited-slip differential; the Sport the Sport comes with variable-ratio steering and electronically controlled suspension as standard.

The G70’s interpretation of Genesis design language gives it a bold if somewhat clumsy front treatment with prominent LED daytime running lights, but the rest of it is pure ‘power sedan’, with a long bonnet, short front overhang and cabin set well back over a longer rear overhang. The rear treatment is well tucked in with full-LED lighting and, in our eyes at least, more successful than the front.

It’s available in black, grey, dark red, brown and beige, with two additional options - dark grey and bright red - offered only on the G70 Sport and the highest trim level in the two-litre turbopetrol variant.

A posture control system - first seen in the G90 - uses your body information (which you input; no cheating, now!) to automatically adjust the seat, steering wheel, outside mirror and heads-up display to the optimal position for comfort and minimum stress.

The flight-deck layout is focused on simplicity and intuitive functionality, including an 20cm touchscreen display supporting MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and server-based voice recognition using a new Kakao artificial intelligence platform.

The driver aids package includes semi-autonomous highway driving assist, launch control, a forward collision avoidance system that recognises cyclists as well as pedestrians, blind spot monitoring and driver awareness warning.

Product specifications for export markets including North America, Russia and the Middle East will be announced in early 2018; G90 and G80 are already sold in the United States, where Genesis topped the premium segment in the 2017 JD Power initial quality survey.

Genesis also plans to widen its range with SUVs and alternative powertrains; six new models are expected to join the lineup by 2021.